Though the 2-on-2 format technically continued to exist for several years, it never gained popularity, eventually being scrapped during the Diamond & Pearl era that followed the EX sets. Aimed at mimicking the doubles battles from the Ruby & Sapphire video games, the 2-on-2 format allowed each player to have two Active Pokémon, choosing one of them each turn to attack one of their opponent’s Active Pokémon. In addition to some new rules and new Pokémon, EX Ruby & Sapphire also established rules for a 2-on-2 format. Pokémon-ex were stronger than regular Pokémon, with better attacks and higher HP, but they came with a steep downside: when knocked out, they gave up an additional prize card. Most exciting in EX Ruby & Sapphire was the debut of a new kind of Pokémon: Pokémon-ex. This ambitious set not only unveiled an entire new generation of Pokémon in card form, but also introduced new rules for mulligans, retreating and Confusion that remain in place today. While Wizards went back to focusing on their flagship game, Magic: The Gathering, TPCi attempted to revive what seemed to be a dying game with the release of their first Pokémon TCG expansion, EX Ruby & Sapphire. 2003–2004: The Pokémon Company International’s Takeoverįormat: Expedition– EX Hidden Legends One of the first Pokémon-ex from Ruby & Sapphire.Ģ003 marked a historic moment in the Pokémon TCG as the year the game transitioned from being ran by Wizards of the Coast to The Pokémon Company International. To gain a deeper understanding of the EX era, let me take you through its timeline, beginning in 2003. What’s important to know is that each of these four seasons had its own unique characteristics and signature decks. Nintendo Black Star Promos 029–040, DP01–DP05ĭon’t spend much time looking at this gigantic chart-it’s meant only to give you an overview of what sets made up the EX era, or as a tool if you are ever wondering if a specific card was legal in a certain format. These seasons and their legal cards are broken down below. Totaling 16 expansions, the EX series spanned across five competitive seasons, making up the majority of legal sets in four of them. I define the EX era as those four seasons composed of mostly EX sets. The term EX era refers to the years of the EX sets, which are named for their introduction of Pokémon-ex to the game. This naturally created closer, more even games. They worked like this: beginning in 2004, the player who played first did not draw a card to start their first turn, nor could they play a Supporter card on that turn. Not only did they produce a variety of strong decks and skillful match-ups, they also had very balanced Turn 1 rules. The competitive formats of Pokémon’s EX era (2003–2007) possessed all of these virtues. After all, no one likes to sit idly while their opponent takes a five-minute turn. Formats that do not produce long, drawn-out turns also tend to be more well-liked. Since many past Pokémon formats have granted a large advantage to the player who played first, players may also tell you they prefer formats where losing the opening coin flip doesn’t immediately put one player at a significant disadvantage. What makes for a great Pokémon TCG format? If you surveyed players, you’d hear responses like: a variety of usable decks, skillful match-ups, a large and diverse card pool. 2006–2007: The Rotation of Rocket’s Admin.2004–2005: The Season of Powerhouse Cards.2003–2004: The Pokémon Company International’s Takeover.
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